Darts 501 - Terms and Meanings The centre of the board. (see also: "SINGLE-BULL" and "DOUBLE-BULL") Score of 50 BUST / BUSTED Hitting more than you needed in an x01 game. The darts do not count and the player begins his next turn on the same score he had prior to. C C In a Cricket game this refers to high scores base on the number of darts scored. For example a triple-20, single-20, single-20 would be called a C-5 because "5 darts" were scored with three darts. CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST Hitting treble 20, treble 1 and treble 5 in three darts (see "BREAKFAST") CHALKING Keeping score / marking the game. CHIPS A score of 26. (See also: "BREAKFAST /BED & BREAKFAST") CHUCKER A player who just "chucks" the darts at the board, doesn't aim or care.

CIRCLE IT When a player scores a single digit (less than 10) with three darts, his team-mates would shout out "Circle it!" to the scorekeeper to highlight the terrible throw. A variation on this tradition is to draw a fish around the score, often leading to aquarium-related jokes being aimed at particularly poor or unlucky players. CLOCK The dartboard itself, usually in the context of "ROUND THE CLOCK". CORK The centre of the board. This comes from the cork in the end of a keg where it is tapped. The ends of kegs were used for targets in the game's early days. D DARTITIS Name given to a mental state of a dart thrower unable to release his / her dart during a throw. DEVIL The treble-6, so called due to '666', and the fact that it is often hit in error when going for treble-13 or treble-10. DIDDLE FOR THE MIDDLE A throw to see who gets one dart closer to the bullseye to determine who throws first in the game. Also known as a "BULL OFF", "MIDDLE FOR MIDDLE" and "OUT FOR BULL".

DOUBLE The thin outer ring of the board. In standard x01 games, a double counts for two times the number hit. DOUBLE-BULL On dartboards configured with a bullseye consisting of two concentric circles, the outer circle is commonly green and worth 25 and the inner circle is commonly red and worth 50 points. Hitting the innermost ring of this type of bullseye is a "DOUBLE-BULL". (See also: "BULLSEYE") DOUBLE IN (DI) A variant of x01 in which a double is needed to start the game. DOUBLE OUT (DO) Hitting the double of a number to win a game of 'x01 DOUBLE TOP Not being able to hit the double needed to win the game. DOWNSTAIRS The lower portion of the board, usually in reference to the 19s in a game of x01. E A game that requires no special shot to begin scoring. FAT The largest portion of a number (the area between the double and triple ring) FEATHERS The 'feathers'/ Flights of the dart which makes the dart more aerodynamic FLIGHTS The "wings" at the end of a dart that make it fly straight.

Also known as feathers. G Advises all players that the match has now started GAME SHOT Signifies that the match winning double has been hit GOOD GROUP A compliment for tight, accurate throwing. GRAND SLAM Hitting the T5, T20 & T1 in one throw. GRANNY A lose without scoring, see SHUT OUT cricket game H HAIL MARY The third dart that miraculously scores a high treble where the first two combined scored low single numbers HAT TRICK A score of three bullseyes in a single throw. HIGH TON Scoring between 151-180 points in a game of '01 HOCKEY The throw or Toe line. See 'Oche' Oche is pronounced as Hockey I ISLAND The actual playable area of a dart board (inside the doubles ring). Missing this area entirely is sometimes referred to as "Off the island".

J K KILLER A game variant where a number of players "own" a number on the dartboard and compete to build up "lives" (by hitting that number) until a threshold is reached (usually 4 or 6) before attempting to "kill" other players by removing the lives they have built up (by hitting those other players' numbers) until a single player is left. L LEG One game of a match. Most professional matches are made up of a number of sets, each of which is split into legs. LEG SHOT Signifies that a player has completed (Won) the "leg" as per Game Shot. LIPSTICK Name given to the treble twenty made famous by Geordie darts commentator Sid Waddell LITTLE / SMALL The single bed between the bull and the triple LOW TON Scoring between 100-150 points in a game of '01 M MAD HOUSE The double-1.

At least two explanations for the term have been proffered; because it can drive you crazy trying to hit one in a game of x01, or because it impossible to "get out" of the mad house - once a player has a score of 2 the only way to finish the game is by hitting a double-1. MAXIMUM A score of 170 to end a game. treble-20, treble-20, inner bull MIDDLE FOR MIDDLE See "DIDDLE FOR THE MIDDLE". MONGER A person who deliberately scores many more points than needed to win the game cricket game not 501. Motown Scoring 44 finish i.e single 4 and double 20 (tops). It is a reference to the ' Four Tops' group that were associated with the Motown Music label MUGS AWAY Loser of the previous game goes first in the next game. N Another word for 1. See "Bucket of Nails" and "Bag of Nails". NOT OLD A score of 37 (usually by hitting a 20, a 5 and a 12).

The phrase is believed to have its origins in a Monty Python sketch. O The throw line you stand behind and to throw the darts. (pronounced 'Hockey') OUT FOR BULL The out scoring area of the centre bullseye- score of 25. P Least number of darts to win a leg of darts 501 - 9 darts PERFECT SCORE When a player scores a maximum 180 points in one throw of three darts. PERFECT FINISH When a player finishes a game with a maximum score of 170. This must be done by scoring treble 20, treble 20, double bull, with only three darts. This is considerably more difficult than hitting a perfect score as the player must break focus to change targets and it can only be done if the player has an exact score of 170 remaining. POINTS The point of the dart, steel tipped or plastic. Q When you throw a dart into the shaft of another. ROUND OF Terms Throwing three triples in one turn in Cricket. ROUTE 66 Scoring 66 points in a throw.

ROUND THE CLOCK Any of a number of game variants where players compete to be the first to hit all the segments on the board in an agreed order (usually numerical), finishing with the outer bull followed by the bull. In some versions hitting a double entitles the player to skip the next number, with a treble entitling the player to skip two numbers. Also commonly played by single players as a form of practice. S The part of a dart behind the barrel when the flights are mounted. SHANGHAI A score of a single, double and triple in the same number. "Shanghai" sometimes refers to a checkout of 120 (single, treble and double 20). In some games this is an automatic win i.e in a game of Shanghai. SHOOTER American terms for dart thrower SHUT OUT When you lose a game without ever scoring in it. SINGLE BULL On dartboards configured with a bullseye consisting of two concentric circles, the outer circle is commonly green and worth 25 and the inner circle is commonly red and worth 50 points. Hitting the outermost ring of this type of bullseye is a "SINGLE-BULL".

(See also: "BULLSEYE") SLOP /SLOPPY DARTS Darts that score, but not where you wanted them. (See also: "SPLASH") SPIDER or WEB The dartboard wire assembly which divides the scoring segments of the dartboard. SPLASH Darts that score, but not where you wanted them. (See also: "SLOP") SPLITTING THE 11 Throwing a dart between the digits of the 11 on the number ring. (Split double 1!) STACKER Dart landing on top and touching a previous dart thrown forming a stacked effect. STICKS STRAIGHT IN / SINGLE IN / STRAIGHT OFF A game that requires no special shot to begin scoring. STRAIGHT OUT / SINGLE OUT Ending a game of '01 without having to hit a double, but hitting the required i.e. ten required 10 hit not necessarily double 5 STRIKING OIL Hitting a double bull when "DIDDLING FOR THE MIDDLE" - comes from the black centre of some modern dart boards. T Three darts in the same number.

THROW LINE The line you stand behind and throw the darts from also known as the 'Oche' Line / Toe Line. TOE LINE The line you stand behind and throw the darts from also known as the 'Oche' Line / Throw Line. TON A score of 100 in a game of x01. TON PLUS Scoring 100+ points in a throw (Ton 40 would be 140 points) TOPS The double 20 bed. As in "he wants tops for the match". TRIPLE / TREBLE The thin inner ring of the board, it usually counts for three times the number hit. TROMBONES Scoring 76 points in a throw. TWO & SIX Scoring 26 points in a throw (Old English money term) TWO FAT LADIES Scoring 88 points in a throw. U Dart landing underneath and touching a previous dart thrown forming an 'under stacking' effect. UPSTAIRS The upper portion of the board, usually in reference to the 20s.

V Guide to the Rules of Darts - UK Net Guide Guide to the Rules of Darts Other Darts Games Further Reading A game that requires dexterity, precision and a cool head under pressure (not to mention an aptitude for mental maths) darts draws a fanatical following and the major events always have a party atmosphere. If you don’t know the difference between the oche (pronounced ‘ock-ee’) and a treble 20, fear not. This guide will tell you all you need to know about the sport, whether you just want to start following or are interested in getting involved down at your local. Though there are a number of different variations that we’ll cover later on, generally when people talk about darts they mean the two person sport played by professionals. The mechanics of this game are, superficially at least, very simple. The two players take it in turn to throw darts at the board. They score according to where on the board their darts land. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the rules, it makes sense to take a look at this board.

The Board The board is split into even segments as seen below: The bullseye that you see labelled in the very centre of the board is worth 50 points, whilst the ‘bull’ (the green ring around the outside of the bullseye is worth 25 points. Moving out you’ll the board is split into twenty pizza slice-like segments numbered from 1-20. These numbers indicate how much you score for landing your dart in each section. At first look it appears that the numbers are in a random order as you move around the board. However, this ordering is very important to the challenge of the game. The highest scoring segment, is in the top half of the bard, dissecting it vertically down the centre. This ensures that to hit the highest scores straight, true throws are required. The layout of the board further reduces the chances of players fluking a high score by alternating between higher and lower numbers. As you can see on either side of 20, you have 1 and 5. This means if your throw veers from its intended target, you will suffer for it.

If the numbers simply went around in ascending order, you’d have a big part of the board you could aim for without risking hitting a low number. On the outer diameter of the dart board you see the double ring, which is coloured in red on black sections of the board and green on the white sections (these colour alterations don’t mean anything in particular they just make it easier to distinguish between the different parts of the board). If a dart lands in the double ring, then you score double the number of the segment you are in. So, say your dart landed in the red section at the very edge of the segment marked ‘3’ (which is in black, in the centre on the bottom half of the board) then that would score 6. The treble ring cuts through the middle of each segment, making for a smaller target. As the name suggests, it trebles the score of a segment. As such, treble 20 is the highest scoring area on the board and is the one most often aimed for. Professional boards are made of compressed sisal fibres, whereas cheaper versions are made of cork. The board should be 17 ¾ inches in diameter.

The sections of the board are divided by a wire frame which fits over the board. This is known as the ‘spider’. The Oche Of course, to make things fair all throws need to be taken from the same distance. The line from behind which throws are taken is called the oche. In professional play this is 7ft and 9.25 inches back from the board, but in causal play this is not always the case. (Most pubs don’t have a spare 8 feet of floor space to dedicate to darts. Besides, which the average punter most probably won’t have much success over the professional distance!) You can move along the oche to the left or right to give yourself a different angle (which you may do if a dart you’ve already thrown is blocking off part of the board) so long as you’re behind it. In formal competitons the oche is raised, allowing players to set their toes square against it. Scoring Unlike the majority of other sports, in darts you start with a set score which you then have to attempt to bring down to zero.

This just means that, when you score, the points you earn on each 'throw' (the term for each players turn at the oche, which consists of three darts) are deducted from you starting total. Things are made harder by the fact that to ‘clock out’ (the term for reaching zero) you need to score the exact number of points you have left. If you score more than required (which is known as ‘going bust’), that throw doesn’t count. If that weren’t enough, the throw that brings you down to zero has to be a double or a bullseye. (For example, if you are on 10, you need to score a double 5 to win.) This final double is known as the ‘game shot’. In some leagues you need to ‘double in’, which means you also need to score a double on your first throw, though this doesn’t apply in major tournaments. In all most all professional competitions players start on 501, though you can play from 301, 701 or even 1,001 with the same rules.

The number always end in a one to ensure the players have to hit other areas aside from the 20 to win. Given that a score of exactly 501 is required and that the last has to be a double, the least number of darts that you can achieve this in is nine (three trips to the oche). Achieving this is known as a nine dart finish and is basically an example of perfection in the game, similar to a perfect break in snooker . There are various different combinations of scores that can give you 501 from nine darts, however, in practice it’s extremely rare to see any nine dart finish in which the first 6 darts are not all treble 20s. If this is achieved, then the last throw needs to make 141. This will usually be done by of the below methods; Treble 20, followed by treble 19 with a double 12 game shot. Treble 18, followed by treble 17 with a double 18 game shot. Treble 20, followed by treble 15 with a double 18 game shot.

Though there are thousands of further combinations that can be used, they are not usually attempted. Though, again, you won’t see it happening in professional competitive play, many purists believe that the hardest, and therefore most perfect nine dart finish is to score treble 20, treble 19 and bullseye with each throw. To give you a flavour of just how remarkable a nine dart finish is, in this clip you can see Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor pulling off not one but two in the same match, drawing a hysterical reaction from the crowd and commentators alike. When a player ‘clocks out’ they take the leg. In some competitions the game is broken into sets. For example in The World Darts Championship each set is decided by the first to three legs and the overall winner is based on who takes the most sets (the number of sets required to win, varies from round to round). In other contest the whole match is simply a case of getting a certain amount of sets. Other Rules To get the match under way you need to decide who will go first. This is normally decided by the toss of a coin, but in some instances both players aim for the bullseye and whoever’s dart is closest wins.

Who goes first alternates between legs. Darts are only counted if they stick in the board or remain touching it with their point. Those that fall out, bounce off the spider or miss the board don’t score. If a player wishes to challenge the score called by the referee following a throw, he has to do so before retrieving his darts. A player can only challenge their opposite numbers score for a throw before their opponents next throw. Errors stand unless challenged in the appropriate time frame, and only the last throw made by either the challenging player or their opponent can be corrected as the result of an appeal. Though players can be told what they require they can’t be told how to get it. For example, you would be told you require 18 to win, but not double 9, which is what you’d actually need. Under pressure players do sometimes get it wrong, adding another dimension to the game. Darts can only be taken from the board once they have been called by the referee. (Though the referee’s are needed to adjudicate, in comparison with a sport like football, there aren’t really any though calls for them to make, so they also serve a secondary function of hyping up the crowd.

It’s tradition for the call for a throw that scores 180 to be given in exuberant style, for example.) Equipment Aside from the regulation board and the oche, the only other piece of equipment that’s needed to play darts is, of course, the darts themselves. The darts are not all regulation, i.e. they can be made of different materials and can come in different shapes and sizes depending on the player’s preference. However, according to the Darts Regulation Authority rules , they need to be no longer than 12 inches and no heavier than 50 grams. The darts themselves consist of the point, the barrel (the part held in the fingers when throwing), the shaft and the fletching (or flight) which stabilises it’s flight in the air. You can find out more about dart types and their key differences here . Whilst, there is not a special kit that darts players wear, in formal competition, players wear shoes, trousers and a shirt. These shirts are personalised (sort of like a boxer’s shorts) and can be quite flashy. For instance, check out Bobby George’s gold embroidery on this black number . There are other parallels between darts and boxing.

In professional competitions, players enter the arena to music, the crowds are rowdy (except for when a player is throwing, of course) and many players have fanciful nicknames . Terminology Here’s a look at some extra terminology you might find it useful to know. Arrows: Another name for darts. Baby Ton: A throw of 95. Clock: The dartboard. Chips: This is a term for a throw of 26. 26 is a fairly common throw as 1 and 5 are either side of 20. As it shows wayward aim, 26 is something of an embarrassing throw. There are various other names for a 26 including ‘breakfast’ and a ‘pub score’. Fish A throw of less than nine, also known as a whale. To be avoided. Irish Ton: A tongue in cheek name for a throw of five, scored by two 1s and a treble one. The joke is that it would be a ton (see below) if the darts were a little to the right (i.e. in the ‘20’ segment).

Lipstick: Treble twenty, because it’s red and has the slight curve of an upper lip. Maximum: A throw of 180. Robin Hood: One dart hitting another already in the board, like so . Scud: A dart that scores somewhere other than its intended target. Ton: A Throw of 100. Tops: Double 20, so called because it’s at the top of the board. Other Dart Games As well as the official sport there are a number of other fun games you can play with a dartboard, including: Around the World: Players take alternate throws with the aim of hitting all the numbers on the board in ascending order. You can only move to the next number when you’ve hit the one you’re on. The first one to make it to 20 wins. Cricket: This game just uses the numbers 15 to 20. Players take alternate throws of three darts each. Players need to hit each segment three times to ‘open’ it. This does not need to be done in any particular order. Doubles count as two hits and trebles as three. Once a player has ‘opened’ a segment of the board any player can score off it.

However, once another player has hit it three times (or hit a treble on it, or a single and a double) it becomes ‘closed’, and can no longer be scored off for the rest of the match. When all the segments are closed the game ends and whoever has the highest score wins. Halve It: You select a segment for your opponent to aim at. They take a throw of three darts. Anything they score in that segment (including doubles and trebles) is added to their score. However, if they fail to hit that segment at all, their score gets halved. As well as selecting a segment, other more detailed and difficult commands can be made. You might ask your opponent to hit three different colours (out of the black, white, green and red sections on the board) or to get an exact score, or to hit any triple. This allows you to take varying skill levels into account. Shanghai: This game is normally played in seven rounds. In the first round only the ‘1’ segment counts, in the second only the ‘2’ segment and so on. Each player gets a throw of three darts in each round.

As only one section of the board counts in each round, getting doubles and trebles is very important to getting a winning score. As the game progresses the stakes become higher (for example two singles in round seven would outscore three trebles in round one). The game is ended instantly if a player pulls off a ‘shanghai’ – a single, double and treble in one throw. Further Reading BBC SPORT | Other Sport | World Darts 2004 | Board of brilliant versatility Board of brilliant versatility Pros play alternative games to help practice skills like hitting doubles The old darts saying of "trebles for show, doubles for dough" does not necessarily apply to everyone. While the world's best hit the treble 20s and double 16s with scholarly precision, many wannabe darters struggle round the board like delinquent first formers. Getting down from the traditional 501 starting point can feel like a marathon long before you've started the slog of peppering darts around a double. Slowly but surely you end up in the madhouse of double one with the wall behind looking like the top of a pepper pot.

If 501 is not your flight of fancy do not let darts tradition stop you from stepping up to the oche. The dartboard is highly adaptable. Are you? BBC Sport suggests some alternative games that can be played with three darts and a board. Round the clock An old classic which does exactly as it says on the tin. Starting on one, work your way numerically around the board ending at 20. In order to level the playing field, handicapping can be adopted whereby better players are limited to certain beds within the number. Shanghai Commentators come out with some rubbish, and shouts of 'Shanghai' in the salubrious surroundings of the Lakeside seem as apt as a Chinaman at a cricket match. But just like the jargon in cricket, it all makes sense to someone. Shanghai is the given name for hitting a single, double and treble of the same score and this game is a step up from round the clock. Starting with one, you go round the clock scoring points on each of the targets. When you land them all - Shanghai - you win, and if nobody has achieved the feat by the end of the game, the player with most points from the previous rounds wins.

If you fail to throw a dart in the numbered bed on your go you are eliminated. Killer A game for any number of people from two to 20 - the more the merrier - and one that helps players with double trouble. Having decided upon a starting order playing diddle the middle, closest to the bull, players throw left handed to determine their number to aim for. No two players can play the same number in one game. A player must hit his double to become a killer and can then start the business of taking lives from other players by scoring in their double. Players start with three lives and the winner is the last player left with a life. Cricket The game goes under various names, most commonly with the prefix Australian. But whereas the Aussies normally win the game of leather and willow, the arrow and oche version has the added advantage of potential handicapping to level the playing field. The 'batsman' needs to throw big scores to accumulate the runs and the 'bowler' needs to hit targets to claim wickets. In terms of runs, players select a minimum score and anything in excess of that mark is added to the total.

For example, if the run mark is 50, two 20s and an 18 (58) will score eight runs. The scoring mark can be either increased or reduced depending on ability, as can the size of the wicket target. Traditionally dismissals occur when the bowler lands a dart in the bull (two wickets) or outer bull (one wicket), although, again players can change, increase or reduce the target area and reward to suit ability. Mickey Mouse There are inumerable variations and names to one of the sport's most popular games. The problem is, it also happens to be the most complicated. First you need to set up a scoreboard with categories running from 20 down to 12 and doubles, trebles, bulls and beds. The object of the game is to close all the categories by landing in them three times in a throw and once that is achieved you can score points in them before your opponents also close the category. The winner is the first person to close all the categories and finish with the most points. Think it sounds simple? Try this tongue twister as an example.

A treble 20, 20, 20 could be taken as three 20s and two 20s or a treble 20 and two 20s. That's right. A treble 20 can count as three 20s or a treble, a bed is made when getting three darts in the same number on the same throw and an inner bull counts as two bulls or a double. It's enough to turn you to drink and a different double. While you're at the bar maybe the barman could explain the rules. Darts Utrykk — Dartutstyr.no The metal portion of the dart (where you grip the dart) BASEMENT The double-3. BED A section of a number / a scoring area of the board i.e. double bed, Treble bed BLACK HAT Reference to the Inner Bull Eye (When the Centre Bull is Black!) BOMBS / BOMBERS Very large or heavy darts usually made from brass.

BOUNCE OUT Scoring dart falls out of the board or hits the wire (the dart doesn’t score) BREAKFAST / BED & BREAKFAST A score of 26, made up of a single-5, single-20, single-1 in a game of x01. This is a common score in darts because players aiming for the 20 segment (which contains the highest scoring area on the board) will often accidentally hit the 1 and the 5 segments, which are located on either side of the 20. The term comes from the typical price of a bed-and-breakfast in times gone by: 2 shillings and sixpence, or “two and six”. (See also “CHIPS”) BUCKET/BAG OF NAILS Landing all three darts in the 1’s. BUCKSHOT A throw when darts land wildly all over the board. BULL-OFF See DIDDLE FOR THE MIDDLE. BULL-UP See DIDDLE FOR THE MIDDLE. BULL-OUT Winning a game with a double bull BULLSEYE (or BULL) The centre of the board.

(see also: “SINGLE-BULL” and “DOUBLE-BULL”) Score of 50 BUST / BUSTED Hitting more than you needed in an x01 game. The darts do not count and the player begins his next turn on the same score he had prior to. C C In a Cricket game this refers to high scores base on the number of darts scored. For example a triple-20, single-20, single-20 would be called a C-5 because “5 darts” were scored with three darts. CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST Hitting treble 20, treble 1 and treble 5 in three darts (see “BREAKFAST”) CHALK(ING) Keeping score / marking the game. CHIPS A score of 26. (See also: “BREAKFAST /BED & BREAKFAST”) CHUCKER A player who just “chucks” the darts at the board, doesn’t aim or care. CIRCLE IT When a player scores a single digit (less than 10) with three darts, his team-mates would shout out “Circle it!” to the scorekeeper to highlight the terrible throw.

A variation on this tradition is to draw a fish around the score, often leading to aquarium-related jokes being aimed at particularly poor or unlucky players. CLOCK The dartboard itself, usually in the context of “ROUND THE CLOCK”. CORK The centre of the board. This comes from the cork in the end of a keg where it is tapped. The ends of kegs were used for targets in the game’s early days. D DARTITIS Name given to a mental state of a dart thrower unable to release his / her dart during a throw. DADDY’S BED/DADDY’S/DADDY See “RIGHT CHURCH, WRONG PEW” DEVIL The treble-6, so called due to ‘666’, and the fact that it is often hit in error when going for treble-13 or treble-10. DIDDLE FOR THE MIDDLE A throw to see who gets one dart closer to the bullseye to determine who throws first in the game. Also known as a “BULL OFF”, “MIDDLE FOR MIDDLE” and “OUT FOR BULL”. DOUBLE The thin outer ring of the board.

In standard x01 games, a double counts for two times the number hit. DOUBLE-BULL On dartboards configured with a bullseye consisting of two concentric circles, the outer circle is commonly green and worth 25 and the inner circle is commonly red and worth 50 points. Hitting the innermost ring of this type of bullseye is a “DOUBLE-BULL”. (See also: “BULLSEYE”) DOUBLE IN (DI) A variant of x01 in which a double is needed to start the game. DOUBLE OUT (DO) Hitting the double of a number to win a game of ‘x01 DOUBLE TOP Not being able to hit the double needed to win the game. DOWNSTAIRS The lower portion of the board, usually in reference to the 19s in a game of x01. E A game that requires no special shot to begin scoring. F The largest portion of a number (the area between the double and triple ring) FEATHERS The ‘feathers’/ Flights of the dart which makes the dart more aerodynamic FLIGHTS The “wings” at the end of a dart that make it fly straight. Also known as feathers.

G Advises all players that the match has now started GAME SHOT Signifies that the match winning double has been hit GOOD GROUP A compliment for tight, accurate throwing. GRAND SLAM Hitting the T5, T20 & T1 in one throw. GRANNY A lose without scoring, see SHUT OUT cricket game H HAIL MARY The third dart that miraculously scores a high treble where the first two combined scored low single numbers HAT TRICK A score of three bullseyes in a single throw. HIGH TON Scoring between 151-180 points in a game of ’01 HOCKEY The throw or Toe line. See ‘Oche’ Oche is pronounced as Hockey I ISLAND The actual playable area of a dart board (inside the doubles ring). Missing this area entirely is sometimes referred to as “Off the island”.

K KILLER A game variant where a number of players “own” a number on the dartboard and compete to build up “lives” (by hitting that number) until a threshold is reached (usually 4 or 6) before attempting to “kill” other players by removing the lives they have built up (by hitting those other players’ numbers) until a single player is left. L LEG One game of a match. Most professional matches are made up of a number of sets, each of which is split into legs. LEG SHOT Signifies that a player has completed (Won) the “leg” as per Game Shot. LIPSTICK Name given to the treble twenty made famous by Geordie darts commentator Sid Waddell LITTLE / SMALL The single bed between the bull and the triple LOW TON Scoring between 100-150 points in a game of ’01 M MAD HOUSE The double-1.

At least two explanations for the term have been proffered; because it can drive you crazy trying to hit one in a game of x01, or because it impossible to “get out” of the mad house – once a player has a score of 2 the only way to finish the game is by hitting a double-1. MAXIMUM A score of 170 to end a game. treble-20, treble-20, inner bull MIDDLE FOR MIDDLE See “DIDDLE FOR THE MIDDLE”. MONGER A person who deliberately scores many more points than needed to win the game cricket game not 501. MUGS AWAY Loser of the previous game goes first in the next game. N Another word for 1. See “Bucket of Nails” and “Bag of Nails”. Terms DARTER When a player completes a game of 501 in the minimum required Terms-darts. This is a very rare event. There is usually a cash prize for professionals throwing a televised Terms-darter. NOT OLD A score of 37 (usually by hitting a 20, a 5 and a 12).

The phrase is believed to have its origins in a Monty Python sketch. O The line you stand behind and throw the darts from. (pronounced ‘Hockey’) OUT FOR BULL The out scoring area of the centre bullseye- score of 25. P When a player scores a maximum 180 points in one throw of three darts. PERFECT FINISH When a player finishes a game with a maximum score of 170. This must be done by scoring treble 20, treble 20, double bull, with only three darts. This is considerably more difficult than hitting a perfect score as the player must break focus to change targets and it can only be done if the player has an exact score of 170 remaining. POINTS The point of the dart, steel tipped or plastic. R When you throw a dart into the shaft of another. ROUND OF Terms Throwing three triples in one turn in Cricket. ROUTE 66 Scoring 66 points in a throw.

ROUND THE CLOCK Any of a number of game variants where players compete to be the first to hit all the segments on the board in an agreed order (usually numerical), finishing with the outer bull followed by the bull. In some versions hitting a double entitles the player to skip the next number, with a treble entitling the player to skip two numbers. Also commonly played by single players as a form of practice. S The part of a dart behind the barrel when the flights are mounted. SHANGHAI A score of a single, double and triple in the same number. “Shanghai” sometimes refers to a checkout of 120 (single, treble and double 20). In some games this is an automatic win i.e in a game of Shanghai. SHOOTER American terms for dart thrower SHUT OUT When you lose a game without ever scoring in it. SINGLE BULL On dartboards configured with a bullseye consisting of two concentric circles, the outer circle is commonly green and worth 25 and the inner circle is commonly red and worth 50 points. Hitting the outermost ring of this type of bullseye is a “SINGLE-BULL”.

(See also: “BULLSEYE”) SLOP /SLOPPY DARTS Darts that score, but not where you wanted them. (See also: “SPLASH”) SPIDER or WEB The dartboard wire assembly which forms the beds SPLASH Darts that score, but not where you wanted them. (See also: “SLOP”) SPLITTING THE 11 Throwing a dart between the digits of the 11 on the number ring. (Split double 1!) STACKER Dart landing on top and touching a previous dart thrown forming a stacked effect. STICKS STRAIGHT IN / SINGLE IN / STRAIGHT OFF A game that requires no special shot to begin scoring. STRAIGHT OUT / SINGLE OUT Ending a game of ’01 without having to hit a double, but hitting the required i.e. ten required 10 hit not necessarily double 5 STRIKING OIL Hitting a double bull when ‘diddling for the middle’ – comes from the black centre of some modern dart boards. T Three darts in the same number.

THROW LINE The line you stand behind and throw the darts from also known as the ‘Oche’ Line / Toe Line. TOE LINE The line you stand behind and throw the darts from also known as the ‘Oche’ Line / Throw Line. TON A score of 100 in a game of x01. TON PLUS Scoring 100+ points in a throw (Ton 40 would be 140 points) TOPS The double 20 bed. As in “he wants tops for the match”. TRIPLE/TREBLE The thin inner ring of the board, it usually counts for three times the number hit. TROMBONES Scoring 76 points in a throw. TWO & SIX Scoring 26 points in a throw (Old English money term) TWO FAT LADIES Scoring 88 points in a throw. U Dart landing underneath and touching a previous dart thrown forming an ‘under stacking’ effect. UPSTAIRS The upper portion of the board, usually in reference to the 20s. W The dartboard wire assembly which forms the beds WET FEET (or PADDLING) Having one or both feet across the throwing line.

WHITE HORSE Scoring three virgin (untouched) triples in Cricket. WIRE Darts that just miss where you aimed but on the wire. WOODY Dart lands outside the scoring area. X Used to signify A double i.e. x1 out. Informasjonen er godkjent fra Leave a Comment

Question: In darts, a three dart finish requiring a treble, single and double of the same number is given what name?
Answer: Shanghai